Mage Hidden Artifact Appearances

[Kharneus]

After a few days of research in a 160 member strong discord channel, working to find the artifact appearances for the mage specs, we can now almost confirm after a few tests on beta, that the daily roll for the arcane artifact appearance might be gated by AK level. Just to be clear, we tested this on 3 different level 110 mage on beta each with a medium to high AK level.

[gakkiz]

After a few days of research in a 160 member strong discord channel, working to find the artifact appearances for the mage specs, we can now almost confirm after a few tests on beta, that the daily roll for the arcane artifact appearance might be gated by AK level. Just to be clear, we tested this on 3 different level 110 mage on beta each with a medium to high AK level.

if all 3 got the roll, this is actually the opposite of confirming an AK gate.
find someone with low AK on beta to try it out, if he doesnt get the roll it might be gated

[Shenlok]

Blue post confirmed that all hidden artifact skin acquisition methods are working as they're intended, BUT some might not be doable now due to relying on currently unreleased content: http://eu.battle.net/forums/en/wow/topi ... 824#post-8" target="_blank

We can confirm that the processes for obtaining these alternate appearances are all in the game and functioning properly. Once you’ve met all the appropriate requirements – some of which involve content that hasn’t yet been released, or will take some time to complete – the appearance will be granted to your character.

[Squisheii]

Prot Warriors and Ret Paladins are pretty sure that the skin is time gated by AK. I assume other specs as well.

Probably worth checking every time you pick up an Artifact knowledge.

[Kharneus]

if all 3 got the roll, this is actually the opposite of confirming an AK gate.
find someone with low AK on beta to try it out, if he doesnt get the roll it might be gated

We tested on both a 110 mage with level 3 AK and 2 110 mages with around 15-20 AK. On the level 3 AK one, the daily roll did not show as "true", while on the other two it did, but ONLY when they were inside the Order Hall. We are still trying to test this with a lvl 9 AK mage and lvl 10 AK mage, to confirm if this is actually AK gated or not.

[Searix]

Searix. Can you extend the line for the 2nd arrow at the shipwreck to the world map, and all the way across it? It isn't impossible that we might find something in kalimdor.

btw the world map and broken shores map is slightly desynced

[Magerlyrekt]

Any new information? ive searched all along the line from the second "arrow" and found absolutely nothing other than the circular stone door, does anyone know if this door is somehow related to anything else? it looks quite shamany, perhaps something to do with their class campaign?

[Katharsys]

Someone on wowhead pointed out a map on the left pillar next to the scouting map

Edit: Might be just the location of raids?

[LJDouglas]

The line extended out through Kalimdor reminded me. Archmage Xylem was involved in a quest series to teach mages polymorph: pig out in Azshara back in vanilla. Has anyone thought to go pay him a visit? Would do so myself but away from my machine for the rest of the week.

[nathyiel]

The quest was removed with Cataclysm.
I was about to say "all is in broken isle" but frost hidden apparence send you in draenor. So why not.

[LJDouglas]

I know it was removed, I was just thinking of all the stages of the Ret Paladin hidden appearance that tie back to vanilla content. Not to say there were rumours back in vanilla of Xylem hiding away some legendary staff, just that he was a somewhat obscure npc related to polymorphing. Shot in the dark I know, but Blizzard did say the Arcane artifact would be the hardest to find.

Actually, on the suggestion that the "sheep nest" in Stormheim is a map of Azeroth, would the locations match up with the other alt polymorph spells, turtle from Zul'Gurub (I know they removed it, but possibly try fishing and see) and the new bear and porcupine tomes from Northrend and Pandaria.

[nathyiel]

I don't search for the hidden apparence but I remember that in Silvermoon mage room there's a mage that play with polymorph on another elf who end up in a sheep.

[Symmbi]

I have been reading through these comments (first time poster) and I think I may have an angle we have not looked at. His name. Being someone who likes to have character names that have meaning, I decided his might actually be a clue. Cote is kind of a odd name.

"Cote Name Meaning- French (Côte): topographic name for someone who lived on a slope or riverbank, less often on the coast, from Old French coste (Latin costa ‘rib’, ‘side’, ‘flank’, also used in a transferred topographical sense). There are several places in France named with this word, and the surname may also be a habitational name from any of these. English: topographic name from Middle English cote, cott ‘shelter’, ‘cottage’ "

His last name possibly but being blizzard likes their hidden eggs ive brought it here as well.

"Metcalf Name Meaning. English (Yorkshire): of uncertain origin, probably from Middle English metecalf ‘food calf’, i.e. a calf being fattened up for eating at the end of the summer"

Thought I would just add this in here, might be helpful *Shrug*

[MagusMaximus]

Someone on wowhead pointed out a map on the left pillar next to the scouting map

Edit: Might be just the location of raids?

I'm not sure what the Highmountain X is located on, it isn't a raid. Also,the NW corner of Suramar doesn't have a dungeon or raid.

[Kharneus]

Our discord group has since grown to 200+ members looking for the mage hidden artifact appearances. Today a contributing member of the channel found 2 specific clues from a blizzard database:

<h3>Cote "Shepherd" Metcalf</h3>
<ul class="item-specs">
<li>
<span class="color-tooltip-yellow">Level:</span>
110
</li>
<li>
<span class="color-tooltip-yellow">Location:</span>
Elwynn Forest
</li>

This shows that Cote Metcalf is a level 110 NPC WITHIN Elwynn Forest. The NPC isn't spawned yet, which means something must trigger it for him to spawn.

He also found this dialogue, which we believe is 100% related to the arcane hidden appearance:

I swear it! The staff came to life! I must discover how it works![úW ]ü}ü¨Õ P
Only a few more sheep! I'm so close to unlocking the mysteries of this artifact! úW 1ü}ü©Õ $
Nonsense! Don't believe this maniac!úW ü}üªÕ
Shut up, peasant! úW -ü}ü«Õ
You've lost your mind, Shepherd! úW Mü}ü¬Õ @
Keep your fantasies to yourself! You are no longer welcome here!úW , ü}ü­Õ
He turned my family into sheep!$ úW :ü}ü®Õ -
He did! That dead sheep was my cousin Johnny!$ úW mdü¯Õ \
What is it? Make it quick! I have more experimentation to perform.

[Vorrum]

Fire mage hidden appearance is no longer a random drop in Suramar, and yet everywhere I look online everyone is too caught up in the Arcane artifact to care. I've tried searching various sites for the fire artifact hidden appearance and have come up short. Perhaps it has to do with how much research you done and then it leads to a raid?

[Curnivore]

It's likely some drops will unlock with the raids. The beta had raids unlocked for testing purposes.

[M081L]

Didn't know if someone did this already, but I simplified the dead sheep aluneth "map".

Seems like it isn't the Broken Isles, the World map and might be just part of those area.

[Flipmode]

Fire mage hidden appearance is no longer a random drop in Suramar, and yet everywhere I look online everyone is too caught up in the Arcane artifact to care. I've tried searching various sites for the fire artifact hidden appearance and have come up short. Perhaps it has to do with how much research you done and then it leads to a raid?

I'm with you man. It's unfortunate, because Fire's hidden appearance is absolutely beautiful.

[Symmbi]

So now that we know Cote will be in elwynn, the sheep map looks like the stones at Stone Cairn Lake.